2013 and earlier Honda Odyssey Prices Paid and Buying Experience

Comments

I'm purchasing a 2003 Ody for the first time. I'm reading different things about pricing and am confused. Do dealers sell at MSRP? Can you get a Honda below MSRP? I've even read where some people have bought for more than the MSRP. Can someone please explain and/or help me in this dilema.

I just bought an '02 EX with leather and DVD-entertainment system in the DC/VA/MD metro area; paid exactly MSRP for it. I tried to get a discount, using the internet strategies suggested in a couple of posts here. I also figured that maybe with the '03 models on the way, there'd be some room to negotiate on an '02.

Wrong! I even gave Priceline.com a try by entering a bid on an '02 LX for $500 less than MSRP; I didn't get a single response.

But, the good news is that I found at least 3 or 4 dealers in the area with an '02 in stock for MSRP. So, I went to the dealer whose emails were most responsive to mine, and upon seeing the EX model with DVD (silver), I was instantly hooked. I agonized briefly whether to lease or buy, but decided to buy due to the high resale values. Also, I initially had thought I'd get an '03 LX, but am glad I decided not to wait, as well as to go for the added EX luxury/features. My family is crazy about the DVD system.

On the '03 versus '02 issue: my salesman swore that the '03 are exactly the same, and given the minimal depreciation factor, I figured, why wait?

Funny you should post Mr.Hugo, I was just going to say how pleased I was with the negotiation schemes presented at Edmunds. It was enjoyable to feel in control the entire time I was buying the car. I went Aug 31st to a south Jersey honda dealer, 2 hours before closing, and I got $200 off MSRP on a red EX and my wife got a free cargo floor cover (valued at $100 according to honda.com... why Edmunds doesn't put dealer installed options into it's write-ups is a mystery to me, especially if honda publishes them itself) The two questions I have are:

1) They got me with a $99 paper work fee... am I supposed to pay this, or did they find a way to fleece me for $99?

2) Did I do good getting it under MSRP? It's funny in this topic, there's not many recent postings listing what price people paid.

Woellj: thanks for your reply; I like your "last day of the month," two hours before closing strategy. Yeah, based on my experience, I think you did great. Maybe I should have waited (bought mine on the 28th), but I doubt the result would have been any different for me. I got mine on a rainy Wednesday evening, with fewer customers around. Had I waited till Saturday, it would surely have been sold to someone else.

It seems your experience also highlights the regional difference -- guess there's higher demand in my area, so MSRP is the bottom line. I think the $99 processing fee you paid does sound like a rip. I only paid a $25 fee. By the way, I didn't mention in my earlier post that my salesman also let me have wheel locks and mud flaps for free. (I, too, noticed that Edmunds does not list the dealer added accessories that are on the Honda web site, which is too bad because it'd be nice to see the invoice price versus retail.)

By the way, what do you think of buying an '02 versus waiting for an '03? Was that even an issue with you?

A final note to self: in the future, go to a dealer who promises to do as much paperwork beforehand. It took me over two and half hours to get out the door -- including having to listen to sales pitches on buying an extended warranty and other dealer service deals. (No, I didn't go for the extended warranty.) The day after I bought my Ody, I got an email from another dealer promising a one-hour processing time.

I guess price is a regional thing. My daughter has an order in for a 2003 LX and has paperwork that indicates she is getting it for MSRP -$500. This is a reputable dealer that I have purchased two vehicles from so I know they will stand by this. As far as differences between 2002 and 2003 go, there are a few minor things (other than colors). First, the driver's power window will have an express-up feature as well as the express-down (I have this feature on my Pilot and it's really handy when leaving a toll booth). Also, there is some new feature with the rear wiper and washer. But that's it. So they are basically the same.

I'm looking for an 02 or 03 EX anywhere in Southern Ca. I would like to pay MSRP. So far, two dealers I have contacted are 1,000 and 1,500 above MSRP. Can anyone recommend a good dealership in Southern California? Thanks.

No, it's not the deposit (I know because I'm the one that actually made the deposit). When I bought my Pilot from them I met with one of the owners and asked if they could do anything for my daughter if she ordered an Odyssey. They said sure, MSRP -$500. I'm sure the fact that I got the Pilot (at MSRP) is what caused them to give her a break.

Yes...It includes destination charge but doesn't include taxes, tags, title. Also, they are charging $249 for a "processing fee." Thanks for the info. I'll give Jonathan a call and see what he has to say. Would you like for me to let him know you referred me? If so, send me an e-mail with your name to wardm5653@yahoo.com.

From my experience and reading these posts, to get one under MSRP, the key is finding one sitting on a lot which doesn't happen often. Trying to negotiate a dealer under MSRP before the car hits the lot; now that's a success story.

BTW: I got my EX-L RES Odyssey last June at MSRP with a deposit two weeks before it arrived and think it's one heck of a car.

It may be that this is a good time to get an '02, I don't know. But in my case, I started contacting dealers via the internet (actually, they contacted me), by using Edmunds and Cars.com web sites, on Tuesday last week, and by the following night, I had purchased my '02 EX-LRES (Starlight Silver) with 6 miles on the odometer. I never asked my salesman why my Ody became available, so to this day, I don't know if another customer had cancelled an order or what.

Anyhow, I recommend that anyone serious about buying an '02 (versus ordering an '03) try the same strategy -- i.e., enter your name, etc. into the "find a dealer near you" features of Edmunds or Cars.com; I think I had asked to be contacted by about 10-12 dealers, and then got positive responses from about 3 or 4 of those.

The 02 went 2K below MSRP in my area last weekend.For 03, several are asking MSRP only, and one with free mud guards, door guards, and trunk liner (which they quote as a $500 package). There are still some who would ask MSRP +, but do shop around.

I placed an order for a 2003 Odyssey with Havasu Blue in June. I got a call from my dealer last week saying that Honda rejected the order for that color. They won't be producing the H. Blue, Midnight Blue, Black and Sage for another few months. He said they got a letter from Honda about it. I called 2 other dealers in the area and said there was no color availability problem. But of course, I would have to wait again. Urg. I had timed the purchase of this car with the birth of my second child. Has anyone else come across this color issue. I don't know who to believe. Is there a way to contact Honda. I don't see any from their websites.

I posted several weeks ago that I was able to negotiate what I consider a great deal on a 2003 Odyssey. A few questioned whether the dealer would follow through. Well, it arrived on the truck today and I picked it up this evening with a full tank of gas.

A summary of the deal

2003 EX-L RES Redrock Pearl with the following options:

Cargo TrayCargo CoverBug ShieldSplash GuardsCross BarsWheel Locks

100k/7yr/$0 deductible Honda warranty

Total Price (excluding tax and license):

$30,000

Final cost after tax and license:

$31,657

I relay this information in hopes that it helps you as you negotiate your own deals. I learned much about the Odyssey from folks on this board and appreciate the information shared.

Wow! I think that price takes the prize. Where are you located? What's the dealership and salesman's name? The best I've been able to come up with in the Washington, D.C. metro area, thanks to Hugoz's posts, is MSRP and there are a lot of dealerships to choose from.

I've been on a trip this last week and couldn't get access to the Internet and therefore didn't know that some of you wanted the specifics.Here it is: The dealer that advertised for 1.992 USD off MSRP on the 2002 Odyssey LX was Showcase Honda in Phoenix. The ad was in the Arizona Republic page AC7, September 01 issue. And Mr. Ray Baldwin (raybear), I'm a consumer shopping for a good deal on the minivan, and I thought that I should share my knowledge of the ad with other members in this forum so we can all save a bit of our hard-earned money. I'm not selling or affiliated with any dealership and hence didn't have any reason to "troll" this forum looking for business. Your message #2578 was rather hasty, to put it mildly.